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Othello A04 Flashcards
isolation
- proximity and distance
social-cultural hierarchies in Italy were similar to that of England allowing audiences to relate to certain conflicts within that setting.
where do we see the idea of proximity?
proximity in terms of
LOVE,
DEATH,
CORRUPTION, DECEPTION
what was Italy associated with in the Renaissance period?
During the Renaissance, Italy was commonly associated with
CORRUPTION,
DECADENCE, HIGH CULTURE , ROMANCE AND POWER
x
characters are always close to temptation and are tested to see whether they will succumb to them
proximity
- Desdemona and Othello share the same love and occupy the space
dramatic methods
staging
(tragic) setting
characterisation
monologues
soliloquy
dramatic irony
juxtaposition (dramatic contrast)
aspects of tragedy : B T T C
blindness
tragic hero
tragic villain
catharsis
aspects of tragedy :
P
I
S
peripeteia
isolation
suffering
aspects of tragedy : L F I P
loss
fate
inevitability
power
aspects of tragedy : A T P D
anagnorisis
treatment of women
pride
death
theme:
military ________
heroism
theme:
iso_______
isolation
theme:
deception and _________
treachery
motif:
sight and ________
blindness
motif:
pl____
plants
motif:
an______
animals
motif:
heaven and ___
hell
symbol:
the __________
handkerchief
symbol:
the __________
Give two things the handkerchief could symbolize.
handkerchief
symbol of loyalty, losing it makes Desdemona unfaithful
symbolizes Othello’s love with its magical properties (draws on Othello’s adventurous path)
Give two reasons why is Venice utilised by Shakespeare for ‘Othello’? as a tragic setting
in the 16th century would have been deemed a multicultural society.
Venice serves Shakespeare’s needs of a place where a non-European, and potentially non-Christian, man could both hold significant authority but still be distrusted.
A second factor which may have informed Shakespeare’s decision to set his play in Venice was the city’s reputation as a hub of prostitution.
Venetian prostitutes were often well-educated and lived in relative luxury, and as long they obeyed state-determined rules about when and how they practiced their trade, they were relatively free to conduct their business. The Venetian state tolerated prostitution as another feature of the city’s bustling commercial life, and the city gained a reputation as a place potentially loaded with sexual innuendo.
(‘I took you for that cunning whore of Venice’)
Othello’s fears that his bride could rapidly slide into sexual promiscuity seem linked to a belief that the line between virtuous wives and common courtesans is dangerously thin.
dramatic method:
dramatic _____
irony
dramatic method:
dramatic _____
give 3 examples
irony
EXAMPLES:
- We know Iago wants the handkerchief as evidence of D’s affair. Emilia doesn’t.
- Cassio and Iago’s conversation about a woman (Bianca, but Othello thinks is Desdemona) is designed to enrage Othello, but Cassio has no idea about this.
Desdemona goes to ‘put out the light’ - to return Desdemona to her former glory (kill her). we know the audience doesn’t
dramatic irony added to make the audience feel involved - we know we are powerless to do anything, so react (cathartic)
this also adds tension
dramatic method:
all____
allusion
importance of Act 3 Scene 3
- we have a build up of Othello’s decision to kill his wife
- think about how an audience would experience this
- Iago only has to make a few casual (flippant) remarks for Othello to become suspicious
motif:
light
motif of light emerges in Act 5
- Act 5 scene 2 Holding a candle, Othello stands over the sleeping Desdemona and prepares to kill her
dramatic device:
sol______
soliloquy
- when a character speaks to the audience and the other characters are unaware of what is being said
end of Act 1 = Iago is left on stage alone to tell us about his plans to ruin Othello
end of A2S1 and A2S3 ,
middle of A3S3
Start of A5S2 = Desdemona is onstage but asleep
dramatic device:
sol______
soliloquy
- when a character speaks to the audience and the other characters are unaware of what is being said
end of Act 1 = Iago is left on stage alone to tell us about his plans to ruin Othello
end of A2S1 and A2S3 ,
middle of A3S3
Start of A5S2 = Desdemona is onstage but asleep
significance of soliloquys = establish motivations, thoughts and feelings of tragic villains and tragic characters (vehicles of information that drives the tragic plot forward) = often creates dramatic irony
Dramatic methods/ devices :
As___
Give a scene in Othello featuring this technique + significance to the tragic trajectory
aside
- when a character reacts to something other characters are not aware of it and it’s as if the speaker is confessing
Act 2 Scene 1 = Iago sees Cassio take Desdemona’s hand
his aside tells us he has decided to ‘ensnare’ Cassio with ‘tricks’ which is exactly what he does later on
Theme:
hiding and __________
hiding and concealment
(Act 4 scene 1) Othello hides away to here Cassio talk.
Iago hides to watch Roderigo attack on Cassio
Desdemona’s body is hidden until Emilia ‘draws the bed-curtain’ to reveal her lying there
end of play (Act 5)
RECAP
- Othello accuses Desdemona of cheating suffocates her (by smothering)
- Emilia blames Othello then blames husband shouts (‘murder, murder!’)
- others rush in Emilia accuses Iago, he draws a sword to stop her speaking, stabs her to death and escape
- he is brought back, Othello learns the truth about the handkerchief.
- stabs himself falls next to wife’s body
end of play (Act 5)
speed pace stamina (fate + inevitability) A04 +AO5
give 3 seemingly minor events and explore their significance
- incidents happen at an alarming rate and tie up a number of lose ends as well as take the audience on an emotional rollercoaster.
deliberate structure does not simply tell the structure, but showing how characters relate to each other. how seemingly minor incidents have led to a tragedy.
fate + inevitavbility (‘I defy thee stars - R+J , ‘ill starred wretch’ - Othello)
Seemingly minor incidents:
Brabantio’s disapproval of Desdemona and Othello’s elopement
Loss of the handkerchief,
Cassio kissing Desdemona’s hand - Iago’s aside
x
Othello is a tragic play by Shakespeare, set
in Venice during the Elizabethan time. It
portrays the growth of unjustified jealousy
in the noble protagonist, Othello, a Moor
serving as a general in the Venetian army.
The innocent object of his jealousy is his
wife, Desdemona. In this domestic tragedy,
Othello’s evil lieutenant ago draws him
into mistaken jealousy in order to ruin him.
Othello is destroyed partly through his
gullibility and willingness to trust ago and
partly through the manipulations of this
villain, who clearly enjoys the exercise of
evildoing just as he hates the spectacle of
goodness and happiness around him.
RESENTMENT AND REDRESS (ACT 1, SCENE 1)
In Venice, the gullible Rodorigo, an unsuccessful suitor to the senator’s daughter Desdemona, is persuaded by the wily Iago to help overthrow their common enemy, Othello. Iago has been passed over for promotion by Othello, a Moorish military commander employed by the Venetian state, in favour of the inexperienced Cassio. Iago tells Rodorigo that he hates Othello but will pretend to love him while plotting his downfall.
In the middle of the night, Rodorigo and Iago wake Brabantio with the news that his daughter, Desdemona, has eloped with Othello. When the disbelieving Brabantio discovers that his daughter really has gone, he accepts Rodorigo’s offer to take him to where Othello and Desdemona are staying.
TALK OF LOVE AND WAR IN VENICE (ACT 1 SCENE 3)
In Venice, the Duke and his senators are concerned that the Turks have sent a fleet to invade the strategic island of Cyprus. Mistakenly, the Duke thinks Brabantio and Othello have arrived to discuss the military situation but instead Brabantio accuses Othello of abducting his daughter. Othello explains how he wooed Desdemona unintentionally when he recounted his past life whilst a guest at Brabantio’s. When summoned by the Duke, Desdemona confirms this version of events and since she is married to Othello, her father is told to make the best of it.
The Duke orders Othello to go to Cyprus immediately to deal with the Turkish threat. Othello tells ‘honest’ Iago to escort Desdemona, who pleads to be allowed to accompany her husband. A despairing Rodorigo, thinking he has lost Desdemona forever, is urged by Iago to obtain more money and follow them to Cyprus where he will have the opportunity to cuckold Othello. Once alone, Iago reveals that he will convince Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. His bitter grievances include the suspicion that Othello has slept with his wife, Emilia.
CASSIO CAROUSES IN CYPRUS (ACT 2 SCENE 3)
With the Turkish fleet destroyed in a storm, the Venetian forces in Cyprus can celebrate. Before Othello retires to his marriage bed with Desdemona, he leaves Cassio in charge of the guard. The scheming Iago, mindful that Cassio is alcohol-intolerant, deliberately plies him with drink. A tipsy and quarrelsome Cassio, having been incited by Rodorigo, becomes embroiled in a furious brawl during which he attacks Montano when he tries to stop him pursuing Rodorigo.
The fight is stopped by Othello, who has left the bridal chamber. Iago pretends to defend Cassio but Othello strips Cassio of his officership. Iago pretends to reassure the devastated Cassio and offers to bring about reconciliation with Othello through his wife, Emilia, who will ask Desdemona to intervene.
“THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER” JEALOUSY IS AROUSED (ACT 3 SCENE 3)
Desdemona tells Cassio that she will speak to Othello on his behalf. As they approach, Iago suggests to Othello that Cassio is leaving in a guilty manner. Despite Desdemona’s entreaty, Othello refuses to recall Cassio. Once alone with Othello, the subtle Iago continues to insinuate that there is something going on between Desdemona and Cassio. Othello begins to have doubts about his wife’s fidelity.
On her return, Desdemona senses that Othello is unwell so offers him a handkerchief, his first gift to her. Othello pushes the handkerchief away and it drops to the floor, where Emilia finds it and hands it to her husband, Iago, who has been eager to obtain it.
An agitated Othello returns and demands that Iago give him proof of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness. Iago tells Othello that, once, when he shared a bedroom with Cassio, he overheard him plotting with Desdemona in his sleep. Furthermore, he says he has seen Cassio wiping his beard with the handkerchief. An enraged Othello vows that he will tear Desdemona apart and makes Iago swear to kill Cassio.
OTHELLO RECEIVES ‘PROOF’ OF HIS WIFE’S INFIDELITY (ACT 4 SCENE 1)
Iago stokes the flames of jealousy until Othello collapses in an unconscious fit. When Cassio appears, Iago tells him that Othello has epilepsy and if roused will be enraged, so Cassio agrees to return later. As Othello revives, Iago urges him to hide and overhear his conversation with Cassio.
Iago and Cassio laugh and joke about Bianca, who loves Cassio, but Othello has been primed by Iago to think they are discussing Desdemona. To make matters worse, Bianca angrily returns the special handkerchief to Cassio, who has previously given it to her, having discovered it in his chamber, where Iago had secretly planted it.
This charade convinces Othello of Desdemona’s guilt and he vows to kill her. Iago suggests Othello should strangle her in bed and he promises to kill Cassio. When Desdemona arrives with news from Venice, she inadvertently ignites Othello’s fury by referring to her regard for Cassio, for which he strikes her.
A DEADLY ATTACK ON CASSIO (ACT 5 SCENE 1)
Under cover of darkness, Iago hides, while Rodorigo strikes the approaching Cassio with his sword but fails to kill him. In defending himself, Cassio seriously wounds Rodorigo. Iago secretly stabs Cassio in the leg. His cries are heard by Othello, who thinks Iago has fulfilled his promise of killing Cassio. Delighted, Othello leaves to deal with Desdemona. Iago reveals himself and pretends to respond to the commotion. He finds Rodorigo and kills him in the darkness. Then he attends to Cassio and accuses Bianca of being behind the attack. Finally, he instructs Emilia to inform Othello and Desdemona.
SMOTHERING LOVE AND EXPOSING VILLAINY (ACT 5 SCENE 2)
A resolute Othello approaches the sleeping Desdemona, bends over the bed and kisses her. When she wakes, he urges her to pray because he is about to kill her Desdemona professes her innocence, insisting she doesn’t love Cassio and never gave him the handkerchief. Othello tells her that Cassio is dead but her tears at this news provoke him to smother her. Emilia pleads to be let in to the chamber and eventually Othello obeys. Emilia informs Othello that Rodorigo has been killed by Cassio, who is still alive.
Desdemona revives temporarily and Emilia hears her cries. Her dying words affirm her innocence and she insists that Othello is not to blame. Othello and Emilia argue about Desdemona until she reveals he has been deceived by her husband, Iago. Emilia calls for help and when Montano and Gratiano arrive with Iago, she accuses Othello of murdering Desdemona and Iago of being a liar.
Gratiano brings news from Venice that Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, has died from grief as a result of her marriage to Othello. Emilia confirms that she gave the handkerchief to Iago. Othello tries to kill Iago, who fatally stabs Emilia before escaping. The truth discovered, Othello mourns his innocent Desdemona. When Iago is brought back as a prisoner, Othello stabs him but fails to kill him. Iago resolutely refuses to say anything. Othello’s command in Cyprus is given to Cassio, so he is ruined professionally as well as personally. Othello stabs himself with a sword he has previously concealed then kisses the lifeless Desdemona and dies. It is left to Cassio to decide Iago’s punishment.
dramatic method:
staging
Stage entrances and exits lend an assistive role with Iago’s machinations:
his convenient
removal before Brabantio appears downstage in the first scene,
importance of staging:
being hidden
- Being hidden is of symbolic import, in permitting a scene to unfold, a proof to
be heard, or a plot to develop
